1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multipurpose ball joint assembly, where the ball joint assembly allows both rotational and tilting movement of the holding device and is easily locked in place and released by a quick release handle and couples to a number of work holding devices.
2. Prior Art
The present invention is a ball joint assembly that includes a stem for mounting a number of work holding devices that each holds an item, such as a fire arm, archery bow, and the like, to allow an operator to perform repairs or adjustments thereon. The ball joint assembly incorporates a right hand pivot arm ball joint lock that is capable of allowing a user to freely rotate and tilt an item being worked on that is connected to the ball stem, and, by locking the ball, provides for maintaining the item being worked on in a variety of positions. The, present invention provides for conveniently locking and maintaining the ball of the ball joint assembly in a housing so as to allow an operator to exert significant forces on to an item that as they are working on without slippage to the positioning of the work holding device. Additionally, the present invention affords a user with the ability to easily change the type of work mounting device as they connect to the ball joint assembly of the invention. With such work mounting devices including: but are not limited to, a rifle cradle structure that holds a rifle between a barrel rest end and a rifle stock butt end support; a rifle cradle with an arrangement for controlled vertical and horizontal movement of the rifle butt that includes knob operated vernier controls for use as a shooting stand; a pistol support that includes an adapter having the shape of the pistol magazine that is fitted into the pistol magazine receiving cavity; and a mounting device that maintains an archery bow mounted to a main bean so as to be off-set from an edge of a table or bench that the ball joint assembly is mounted to.
Earlier clamping vices for securing an object have included opposing plates or pads that are pushed together or pulled apart with an object clamped between the plates or pads. Such vices, of course, require that the plates push against the object with such force as to prevent the object from moving. The vast majority of vises achieve this force by a screw jack arrangement where the screw is turned to move the plates, with the user applying a number of turns of the screw to cause the plates to move together. To use such clamping device, the user must first position the object between the two plates and then turn the screw jack to move the plates or pads together to secure the object in the vise. With, to reset the object positioning, they must release the screw, reposition the object and repeat the clamping process. This clamping, release, and re-clamping greatly limits the user's ability to optimally position the object at a most convenient position for the user to work on it, and may damage the object being worked on. Whereas, the invention employs a ball and seat combination, where the ball includes a stem or shaft that a work holding device is attached to, providing, with a turning of a single lever arm, for ball locking or unlocking in the seat. Further, as compared to other ball and seat configurations, the invention provides for an easy adjustment of the height of a round nut within a ball housing that a threaded shaft of the single lever arm is turned in, allowing an operator to conveniently reset spacing between the ball and seat surfaces.
Additionally unique to the invention, the ball shaft or stem is not only allowed to rotate within the seat through three hundred sixty (360) degrees, it can also tilt across housing top through an arc of up to and greater than one hundred eighty (180) degrees.
Within the knowledge of the inventor, no earlier vise type device, or even a ball and seat arrangement, has provided versatility and ease of operation of the ball joint assembly of the invention and its attached work holder. Heretofore, clamping devices have limited a user's ability to work on an object, or the structure of such work holding device has forced the user to distort their body to work on the object as when it is clamped in the vise. Distinct from earlier devices, and even devices that have employed a ball and seat vice, the invention allows for externally adjusting the fit between the ball and seat as may have loosened, unlike earlier devices that have required a tear down of the assembly to reset the ball and seat spacing.
Additionally the ball and seat assembly of the invention employs unique work holding arrangements that are, themselves, distinct from earlier arrangements. Unique work holding arrangements of the invention include: a rifle sighting and stand arrangement and an archery bow clamp that are unlike other holding devices in their structure and use.